airglow
|air-glow|
C1
🇺🇸
/ˈɛrˌɡloʊ/
🇬🇧
/ˈeəˌɡləʊ/
faint atmospheric light
Etymology
Etymology Information
'airglow' originates from the combination of 'air' and 'glow', where 'air' refers to the atmosphere and 'glow' means a steady light.
Historical Evolution
'airglow' was coined in the 20th century to describe the phenomenon of atmospheric luminescence.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to any atmospheric light, but now it specifically describes the faint light emitted by the Earth's atmosphere.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a faint emission of light by a planetary atmosphere, especially Earth's, caused by the recombination of atoms that were photoionized by the sun during the day.
The airglow was visible in the night sky, creating a soft luminescence.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/06/08 01:21